An intermolecular Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) reaction of α,β-unsaturated
ketones with allylic acetates in the presence of tributylphosphine, acetic acid,
and catalytic amounts of tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium(0) affords
α-coupling products in good yields. The reaction offers good functional group
tolerance, excellent regioselectivity and E-stereoselectivity.